This invention relates to an improved fishing lure system including a lure that is readily transformable to represent a series of different baits and a plurality of depth controls, without removing the basic portion of the lure from the fishing line.
The invention provides an improved construction of fishing lure wherein a variety of different colors can be easily interchanged from the head portion to provide a plurality of color combinations and a variety of different dive or nose planes, at different angles, can be interchanged to provide a plurality of predetermined depths for the lure to seek in both fresh and salt water, and different actions for the lure.
Gell et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,591 teaches a fishing lure with both depth control and a variety of body parts. Weights in the Gell invention are placed in a cavity in the central body core, the construction of the lure requiring several parts, which must be assembled, and retained in position with bands. The color patterns are placed on either side of the central body before the clear plastic shields are placed on each side of it. The parts are all held together with bands, which secure the lure components together, the rear band providing action-imparting surfaces. Rogers U.S. Pat. No. 2,295,292 teaches a lure construction of different sizes, shapes and color combinations, which are held together with a spring or coil which is connected to the end hook. Both the head and body portion have interchangeable colors, again requiring a larger number of pieces to be carried in a bait or tackle box. The present invention readily combines the interchange of colors, merely by changing to a different colored back without taking the lure from the fishing line, and the plurality of depth controls which cause the lure to plunge from the surface to a desired depth. This is accomplished with an easy snap action and does not require tools to change the different parts.
This invention provides an improved connecting means between the head and the body portion which requires no tools to effect the connection, but is achieved by pressure between the two parts. In addition, the invented fishing lure system provides a plurality of interchangeable, transparent nose or dive planes which are also detachable without tools. A careful selection of the dive planes gives the fisherman the ability to fish in shallow or deep water without replacing the entire lure, but by only replacing the dive plane. It is well known that fish strike at different depths and at different colors of artificial bait or lures depending on such conditions as time of day, location, or the fisherman's quarry. Therefore it is important to have a fishing lure system in which parts of the lure can readily be changed to adapt to these various conditions. It requires a considerable investment for a fisherman to purchase all the necessary lures to cover all of the different conditions which are met by the angler in the course of his fishing day. In the case of lures or artificial bait, it is desirable to be able to interchange only one or two parts of the lure, rather than the entire lure. The successful angler needs a lure which is designed to operate with a variety of different colors that are interchangeable as fishing conditions warrant, and without a significant investment in a variety of different lures, to achieve the necessary goals with a minimum of equipment. The present invention is a lure system which requires greatly reduced capital expenditures, as well as a reduced amount of equipment required to be carried by the successful angler.
A feature of the present invention is that the dive plane is transparent. In many presently available lures which incorporate dive planes, the dive planes are metallic, which create a flashy appearance attracting the attention of the fish, which then strikes at the front portion of the lure. Frequently, the fish strikes the line at the same time, severing the line, causing loss of both fish and lure. Since the dive plane in the present invention is transparent, there is no attraction to a fish at the head of the lure, thus the fish will tend to strike at the body of the lure. In this way, the lure will be more effective.
The base may be the portion which has the color, in which case the back and dive plane are clear and will pick up the color of the base.
A nose plane can be interchanged with the dive plane to provide surface action for the lure. A nose plane is attached in exactly the same manner as the dive planes and in the same cavity within the lure.
One embodiment of the invention features a small piece of formed wire embedded in the entire length of the body. The purpose of the wire is two fold, (1) to add strength to the lure itself, and (2) to act as a reinforced fastener to fasten the three pronged fishing hook so that it will not easily be pulled from the lure. This is a new concept in fishing lure equipment. Many of the presently available hooks are fastened to a lure by the use of a small screw eye which is twisted into a guide hole in the lure, and which is easily pulled out of the lure if undue stress is put upon the lure by either a fish or a foreign object on which the hook may be caught in the process of fishing. The present invention eliminates the need to discard an expensive lure due to broken dive planes, eliminates the possibility of having only the wrong color plug, eliminates the problem of having a lure with the wrong dive or nose plane, eliminates the necessity to carry a large number of different lures required to meet all fishing conditions, and greatly reduces the possibility of losing or stripping the hooks from the body of the lure and rendering the lure unusable.